Welcome To The Danger Zone
by FireflyBullets
Summary: Nothing can survive in the open desert between Battery and Vegas, they say. Nothing except the killjoys of Zone 12. While the world stares at and watches the so-called "fabulous" killjoys of Zone 6, the Danger Zone is just beginning to stir. Killjoyverse - Language, violence.


**Author's Note:** _Better Living Industries AKA BL/Ind = Lifestyle Enterprises AKA LIE_

* * *

Fabled Myth

That was the only name the bar patrons had for the stranger in the dark blue hooded jacket. He had dark red hair and a piercing brown gaze that speared people right through their hearts. It was obvious that he wasn't from the city; his skin was two shades of tan darker than most city residents, and besides, no one carried pistols in the city unless they had good reason.

Right now, he sat hunched over at the bar, a half-empty glass in his hands. Nobody knew what the mix of alcohol that he drank was, except the bartender who always mixed it for him. All they knew was that it had scotch and was a dark amber colour.

'Another one?' the bartender, a grizzled man well into his fifties, asked as he pulled the warm drink from Myth's grasp, 'This one's too warm to keep at, son. I'll fix you up another.'

'Don't bother,' Myth stated, rising up from his seat, 'I've got other places to be tonight.'

The bartender looked at him carefully, cigarette dangling between his teeth. 'Take care, kid,'

Myth managed a wry smile, 'I always do.'

As he turned for the door, the bartender noticed her for the first time. A slender girl with dark brown hair wearing a brown leather jacket and a deep indigo stained pair of jeans sat at one of the tables, a single empty glass in front of her. He hadn't noticed her before, but as Myth moved towards the door, he noticed how her deep sea-green eyes roamed the bar casually, as if keeping a lookout for trouble.

Myth froze as the door swung open, and the bartender saw the girl stiffen as he turned to greet the newcomer.

He looked young, younger than Myth, and had white hair that sat flat to his head. His bright green eyes swept the bar, hesitating on Myth. It was obvious from his stylish clothing that he was from Lifestyle Enterprises, probably one of their Exterminators – the people that lived solely for the purpose of hunting the bandits from the desert.

'We don't want any trouble here, son,' the bartender stated as a draculoid, the frightening men in white suits and masks, entered behind him. He stepped forward as if to emphasise his statement.

The exterminator smiled indulgently, 'It would seem that any trouble is averted,' he stated, 'The people I am searching for are not here.'

He turned and strode back outside, closely followed by the draculoid. The bartender waited for the door to close behind them before turning to Myth.

'That was a bit strange, don't you think?'

Myth was gone.

* * *

'Too fucking close, I reckon,' BB stated as the car swung out onto the empty street, 'If he'd seen either of us, we would have been dead in seconds.'

'I think you're exaggerating,' Myth stated, 'He saw me, and didn't do anything.'

BB stamped on the brake as they reached a red light and turned to Myth. 'He saw you?'

'He was looking right at me for a full second,'

BB pursed her lips. 'But he didn't do anything.'

'I dunno,' Myth smirked, 'Maybe LIE's best weapon is getting a bit rusty.'

'No, that's not possible,' BB replied, stamping the accelerator as the light changed to green, 'If they detected anything wrong with him, anything at all, they would put him back into containment and send out the next one.'

'Maybe it's not something they've picked up on yet,' Myth shrugged, 'I've heard that quartet from Zone 6 have been giving them a bit of trouble lately, maybe they've been too distracted with worrying about that lot.'

'Maybe…' BB bit her lip as they raced past the city gates and out into the open desert, 'But that was bloody lucky that he didn't recognize you, or do anything. A spontaneous shootout at the House of Wolves,' she smirked, 'Sounds like a good place for a showdown.'

'Do you ever quit with using big words?' Myth teased. BB chuckled.

'In a previous life, I was a writer. We can't help our vocabulary; it just comes out.'

Myth smiled as they passed the city limit marker. About twenty feet further up the road stood another sign, this one white with black lettering.

DANGER: ZONE 12

'Looks like Fire's been out this way recently,' BB smirked as they both noticed the red spray paint around the borders of the sign. It had been modified to read WELCOME TO THE DANGER: ZONE 12.

'It's got a bit of a ring to it,' Myth grinned, 'The Danger Zone. Sounds like The Twilight Zone.'

'Except The Danger Zone is safer than the Twilight Zone ever was,' BB pointed out. She looked over and saw the blank look on Myth's face and sighed, 'You would be too young to remember that, wouldn't you?'

'I've heard of it; never actually seen the show.'

'When you get a chance, watch it. It's actually really good,' BB sped up a little, 'Do you reckon we should see if we can get Fire to stay this time?'

'He's too much of a free spirit,' Myth stated, 'Too much of the Indian in him to keep still. Kinda like you, really.'

'Not really,' BB shook her head, 'I'm happy to stick close to Zone 12; I don't spread myself across as many areas as Fire does.'

'Or half the other killjoys, either,' Myth stated. It was common knowledge that BB was Australian, although no one was sure when she had moved to the US. Sometimes, she would say something about her past, and from the pieces that Myth and the other killjoys had put together, they had figured that she'd spent most of her teenage years in the states. And at least half of her time in the states had been spent on the run.

As they pulled up to the roadhouse, BB stared at the car parked out the front suspiciously.

'It's got no markings,' she stated, 'So it could be anyone.'

'Fire, maybe?' Myth suggested. BB shrugged, then killed the engine.

'I get the feeling Fox decided to upgrade. Can't really blame her – that old bomb she was driving was a piece of shit.'

'Is it just me, or does that look like the red shark?' Myth asked. BB smirked.

'Does that mean we can't stop here because it's bat country?'

Myth chuckled as they both climbed out of the car. BB was proud of her Trans Am, despite the fact that the air conditioning didn't work and it was still only fitted with a radio and tape deck. Myth had suggested trading it in at first, but after outrunning LIE investigators countless times and avoiding so many collisions because of the way BB had fixed its handling, he had sort of let it grow on him.

As they stepped into the dimly lit dining and bar area, a rough voice called out from the bar.

'We don't want none of your type in here.'

'Stiff shit, you're gonna have to put up with "our type", you discriminating bastard.' BB smirked as she slid into a bar seat. Burning Rain, a man in his thirties with native American features, burst out laughing.

'One of these days, kid, you'll say the wrong thing to the wrong person.'

'She's told an exterminator to go fuck himself,' Myth commented, 'I don't think there's anything she won't say to anyone.'

'We all go to hell anyway,' BB shrugged, 'May as well stir up some shit on my way down.'

Rain chuckled as he pulled two glasses down, 'The usual?'

'Of course,' BB jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the red shark outside, 'Fox is here?'

Rain nodded as he poured the drinks, but his face had darkened. 'She showed up about an hour ago with injuries as gruesome as that car outside is beautiful.'

Myth shook his head. 'She'll get herself killed one day.'

'We're all gonna get ourselves killed one day,' BB pointed out, 'It's just a matter of time,' BB accepted the glass Rain set in front of her, 'How's she doing?'

Better than I expected,' Rain shrugged, 'She got hit by one of those old bullets, spent about ten minutes trying to dig the bastard out. And someone got a knife to her face, too.'

'Is she good to talk?'

'Only if you like talking to a zombie.'

'We'll have to wait until morning again,' BB stated, tipping back the rest of her drink then tapping the glass on the counter, 'Another, please. Make it snappy, barman.'

Rain chuckled as he took the glass and began making the drink again, 'I wish I was twenty again.'

'No you don't,' BB grimaced, 'No liver can handle that kind of assault twice in one lifetime.'

'I'm American, kid,' Rain smirked as he set the glass in front of her, 'No _Australian_ liver could handle that assault twice. Americans don't drink nearly as much as you and your lot.'

'She goes through more alcohol in a week than the entire US goes through in a year,' Myth chuckled, 'And she's _Irish_-Australian. Get it right, barman.'

Rain chuckled as he turned to put some glasses away from the dishwasher. 'So how come you're both back in so early?'

'An unsavoury type walked into the House of Wolves,' BB stated. Rain turned and stared at them.

'How'd you get out of _that_?'

'Back door, of course,' BB stated, 'And it wasn't just draculoids. The Kid was with them as well, walked in first.'

Rain sputtered. 'Did he see you?'

'That's what worries us,' Myth stated, 'He was staring at me, but didn't do anything about it. He got distracted by the barman, and BB grabbed me and dragged me out the back.'

Rain whistled, 'You were bloody lucky to walk away. How the hell did he not see you?'

'Dunno,' Myth shrugged, 'That's what we wanted to talk to Fox about; she knows a lot about them.'

'When do you think she'll be conscious?' BB asked. Rain shrugged.

'Morning's your best bet. I'll try to keep her here until you show, but no promises.'

'Hey, no problem,' BB waved a hand, 'Not even LIE can tie that girl down for long.

'Ain't that the truth,' Rain grinned.

* * *

Seven stared at his shaking hands.

It wasn't like before. It was a noticeable shake, enough so that he couldn't even hold a drink without it spilling a little. And that was just the beginning.

His entire body felt like lead. It was harder to force himself to stand up after he'd sat down. His eyelids felt like they were always drooping, and he didn't have the energy he was used to having. Not to mention that he also looked pale and his body just wouldn't respond sometimes.

Like tonight, at the House of Wolves. He'd seen Fabled Myth there, had stared at him, but his hands just wouldn't draw his pistol. He hadn't been able to fire, and then the bartender had taken his attention. Myth had escaped.

He wouldn't report that failure.

Seven looked up as the door was opened and the draculoid slid into the passenger seat. 'They probably headed straight into the desert,' he stated. Seven nodded.

'I wouldn't have expected them to hang around,' he stated. The draculoid looked over at him, the black eyes of the mask staring him down.

'We should go back to base,' he stated. Seven shrugged. Maybe he could talk to Nadine, the handler, and find out what was wrong with him. It was worse than last time, really.

Maybe she would put him back into containment.

Seven felt his stomach churn at the thought. He wasn't supposed to have human emotions, he knew that much. But there were some that the others felt, too. Hate was one; contempt was another. Seven knew enough about the few emotions he did have to be able to define them. And he knew that the twisting knot in his stomach, at the thought of containment, was hate. He hated containment.

'We should get moving, sir,' the draculoid stated, 'There's no point in us staying out. Not when we know they've gone.'

'Yes, you are correct,' Seven reached his shaking hand forward to turn the keys in the ignition. If he told Nadine, she would probably put him back into containment, but if he didn't tell her… this lack of control over his body caused a new emotion altogether, one that made him feel sick inside and want to cry out.

But containment was worse, wasn't it? He would be placed into his alcove, which would be closed, and he would feel the needle prick his skin. And then he would be woken days, maybe months later. So much would have changed, but it would have all passed in the blink of an eye for him.

_She_ might not even be alive anymore.

'_Remember me…'_

Seven shook his head as he stamped on the accelerator, the streets flashing by. Something about those two words, spinning around and around inside his mind. He found it easy to remember her face, and not just because she was one of them. As though he had known her once before…

'_Remember me,'_

* * *

Fox gave a low whistle.

'Rain's right,' she stated, 'You two were bloody lucky to walk out of there.'

They were sitting at the bar again, BB and Myth on either side of Fallen Fox. With her sun-bleached blonde hair and bright blue eyes, she fit the description of "beautiful" easily, but her looks weren't what everyone judged her for. She had shed her thick fur-lined jacket, which now hung over the back of the barstool, and her pale green tank top wasn't nearly enough to cover the heavy bandaging on her left shoulder. The faux fox tail she always wore hung from the back of her belt, the tip almost touching the floor.

'Any ideas on why he pretty much let us go?' Myth asked. Fox shrugged, taking a sip of the concoction Rain had mixed up for her. Rain was busy tending to a small group of diners who had stopped in, heading to Vegas.

'Maybe he was just tired,' she suggested.

'They can get tired?' BB asked. Fox nodded, looking at her in surprise.

'They might be modified, but they're still humans.'

'Human guinea pigs,' BB muttered, a dark look flashing across her face, 'Would LIE notice?'

'Probably not,' Fox took another sip, 'They don't give a shit about their weapons, so long as the weapon is working properly and doesn't complain.'

'What would they do if he did complain, or they found out?' Myth asked. Fox shrugged.

'Put him back into containment. It won't help him, though; if he's tired, he just needs some real sleep.'

'Don't they get that in containment?' Myth asked. Fox shook her head.

'They get injected with a drug that pretty much shuts their system down. When it's time for them to be woken, they get hit with another drug that restarts them.'

'"Shuts them down", wouldn't that count as sleep?'

'It stops everything about them,' Fox replied, 'Their brain, their breathing, their heart… everything.'

'But that would kill them, wouldn't it?'

'Human guinea pigs, Myth,' BB stated, staring into her glass, 'It's obviously working, because I know for a fact that we've sent The Kid into containment at least twice, and he's walked back out.'

'What if they get injured, though?' Myth asked, 'Because there was that time that you shot him in the shoulder, and when he came back out he'd obviously healed. If his body was shut down, he wouldn't have healed from that in containment.'

'Modern technology, Myth,' Fox stated, 'Yes, the drug shuts their bodies down, but there's another one they put in, which goes through and regenerates any damaged cells. That's why they're always in top physical condition.'

'That would mean they don't get scars either, wouldn't it?' BB asked, eyeing the cut on Fox's cheek. Fox nodded, 'What about if they don't get their health plus injection?'

'They still heal at a faster rate than normal humans,' Fox stated, 'And they don't scar.'

'A lot like you, Fox,' BB pointed out. It was common knowledge that Fox healed from the worst injuries in a matter of days, and she had no scars, despite so many injuries.

Fox eyed BB carefully. 'What are you suggesting? That I'm an exterminator, sent to spy on you lot?'

Myth laughed, but the tension between BB and Fox was enough to cut with a knife. BB shrugged and turned back to her drink.

'You're gonna tell us one day, Fox,' she stated, 'Someday, you're gonna have to tell us the truth. What you know about LIE… no normal person would know any of it.'

'It'll be one of my deathbed confessions,' Fox smirked, 'You're gonna have to tell us one day, too. About those teenage years of yours, running in the States. And about Lukey,'

BB stiffened visibly, but she didn't look at Fox or say anything. Myth knew that something had gotten to her, somehow.

'Who's Lukey?' Myth asked. Fox glanced at him and shook her head. BB, on the other hand, stared into her glass.

'Lukey was my brother,' she stated, 'Two years younger than me. Came over with me, but… I lost him.' She drained her glass, setting it back down on the counter, 'That's all you're gonna hear about him for now. So don't bother asking again.'

Fox eyed BB suspiciously, then nodded. Myth looked between the two girls again, then finished his own drink off.

'So, The Kid is tired…' he stated. Fox looked back at him and nodded.

'Unless they put him back into containment, he's gonna start being more human,' she stated, 'Making errors in judgement, screwing up royally – like last night – and even feeling.'

'Feeling?' Myth shook his head, 'They don't feel, though.'

'They're human, Myth,' Fox sighed, 'At first, they don't. But the really powerful ones that they can feed off reach them eventually, like hate and disappointment and satisfaction. And then when they start to get tired, more come through. In fact, if he doesn't go back into containment soon, we might have another defector.'

BB straightened up, looking at Fox. 'Like The Animal?'

'Exactly like The Animal,' Fox nodded, smirking. 'She got tired, and they didn't see. And then she realized that everything was wrong and left them.'

'How do you know?' Myth asked. Fox shrugged.

'I was in Zone Eight the other day; she cruises around in that area a lot. Only downside is that they hunt her more rigorously than any of us lot.'

'Because they want her back,' BB nodded, 'So if we got to him, maybe we could help The Kid change as well?'

'All it takes is the right words, whispered to him before you disappear, or before he tries to kill you,' Fox smirked, 'Like "Remember me",'

BB smirked as she tapped her glass on the counter. Rain looked at her from the tables and signalled for her to wait a sec as he came over.

'We could just kill him,' Myth stated, 'I mean, if he screws up again, rather than running, we can just knock him off. It makes one less of them, and it'll be a lot faster than trying to convince him to leave.'

'Nobody is killing The Kid,' BB stated firmly, 'In fact, nobody kills any of them if we know we can change them. It'd be like killing a citizen who was told to keep a lookout for us – it'd make us as bad as LIE, and we're not as bad as LIE. We're better than them.'

'I'll drink to that,' Fox grinned as Rain approached.

'What are we drinking to?' he asked.

'Being better than LIE,' BB replied. Rain chuckled, taking her empty glass.

'I'm happy to drink to that,' he grinned, refilling it with cola, 'It's not even midday and you've almost polished off all my liquor. No more until after lunch, okay?'

BB grimaced, 'What if I had lunch now?'

'After _my_ lunch,' Rain told her. Fox finished her drink, setting the glass on the counter.

'Thanks, Rain,' she smiled at him, 'Again.'

'Try and take care of yourself this time, Fox,' Rain stated, 'I'm not always gonna be around to patch you up.'

'That's when I'll turn to BB and Myth to look after me,' Fox grinned, slapping the pair on the back. BB scowled at her.

'Fuck off, I ain't looking after you when this guy kicks it.'

'You kids play nice,' Rain stated, 'Fox, I'm being serious. If you show up here before Tuesday with injuries, I won't have any morphine or anaesthetic. You'll have to use a bit of wood.'

Fox wrinkled her nose. 'I'll try,' she promised. She turned and strutted out of the diner, fox tail swinging wildly with her hips. They heard the deep, throaty rumble of the red shark as she started it, and then it was gone, tearing off into the desert.

'What are you pair gonna do today?' Rain asked Myth and BB, who both shrugged.

'We heard Jake Folsom was back in the area,' BB stated, 'Might see if we can hunt him down and convince him to leave for good.'

'I've heard he's expanded,' Rain's face had darkened, 'Don't try to pick a fight with him, you know you won't win.'

'Scare tactics, mate,' BB grinned, tipping down the rest of the cola, 'See you after lunch. C'mon, Myth,'

'Are we really gonna hunt out Jake Folsom?' he asked as they walked out to the Trans Am. BB chuckled.

'We won't go looking intentionally. But if we stumble across him, you drive and I'll shoot, okay?'

'Fine by me,' Myth nodded.

* * *

Professor Agethy looked up and smiled.

'Seven,' she stated as he stepped into the laboratory, 'What can I do for you?'

Seven knew he wasn't supposed to like people, but Professor Agethy seemed different to everyone else at Lifestyle Enterprises – she was fun, energetic, and never told anyone anything she didn't have to. She had wild blonde curls and bright, curious green eyes – very similar to his own. For all her energy, intelligence and personality, she was so tiny – shorter than Seven and so thin that her bones stuck out.

And she was just seventeen.

'I haven't been feeling well,' Seven admitted. Agethy set down one of the test tubes and gestured to one of the plastic chairs. Seven sat in it as she approached.

'Show me your hands,' she stated. She had a thick accent which Seven had at first identified as Irish, but it had traces of Scottish in it as well, and some of her idioms and slang were more Australian than British.

He obediently held up his hands, which were still shaking, and she pulled off the latex gloves she always wore, holding his hands gently.

'You're a bit cold,' she noted, 'How long have you been in the building?'

'I came straight to you,' he admitted. Agethy nodded, squeezing his hands gently as she inspected his face.

'How's your body working?' she asked, 'is everything working okay, or does it seem to be working okay?'

Seven hesitated, then shook his head the tiniest bit. Agethy grimaced.

'Tell me,' she ordered, pulling another chair up in front of him, sitting so close that their knees were touching. Her skin felt warm and Seven felt like he could sit with her all day, no matter what was wrong with him.

'Everything feels heavy,' he stated, 'And oversensitive. Like… As if they put me back into containment long enough for the needles, but then took me out again.'

'How long since you've slept?' Agethy asked. Seven frowned at her, trying to think.

'Days, at least,' he stated. Agethy nodded.

'That's really all you need,' she stated, 'Just a bit of sleep. Maybe talk to Nadine, she could arrange for you to go back into containment—what's that for?'

As soon as she'd started to say it, Seven had stood up, his face twisting. He felt the knot in his stomach tighten, but it was different to hate. It was… he didn't know the right word for it. But it was a new emotion, one he wasn't familiar with.

'I don't want to go back in,' he stated, trying to relax himself. Agethy looked at him sadly, then stood up and did something that completely surprised him. She threw her arms around him and leaned against him.

It was a hug.

'Why are you…?' Seven frowned as she looked up at him, and he felt another emotion in his stomach. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears as well, and his throat seemed to have tightened.

'You're afraid,' she said simply, 'You're afraid of going back in, aren't you?'

Fear. That was a good word for the cold-knot-in-the-stomach feeling. As he thought about it, he realized that it was the right word.

He was afraid of something.

'Your time is nearly up,' Agethy stated sadly, hugging him tight again, 'If you're getting tired enough to start feeling, then they won't keep you much longer. Unless you go back into containment.'

'I don't want to go back in,' he said softly. He lifted his arms and, feeling that it was the right thing to do, wrapped them around Agethy's shoulders, 'I hate it in there. I come out, and there's so much that has changed. And…'

He didn't want to tell her about the other girl. Something in him made him stop for some reason. More to protect her, the girl, than anything else, though.

'Do you know what happens to the other exterminators when they start to feel again?' Agethy asked, her arms loosening. Seven looked down at her, frowning.'

'They go away for a few days,' he stated, 'And then they come back, like new. But they don't remember anything.'

'They take your memories again,' Agethy stated, 'Everything you could possibly remember from the last time. And they give you the injections. So, yes. You come back almost new. But some don't take the injection; it reacts badly with them. They don't get to live.'

Seven released her as she pulled away, still looking up at him. 'I don't want you to risk that. Containment must be horrible, but… it's better than dying.'

As Seven strode along the corridor towards Nadine's office, his mind was whirring with what Agethy had told him. She had given him a small tablet before he'd left, giving him a cup of water to "wash it down". According to her, it was a caffeine tablet, and the reason she managed to get through so many all-nighters in a row to get the work done.

'_Remember me…'_

Seven stopped short outside of Nadine's open door, looking into the office. He could hear Nadine, but there was also a man in there, an older American man with greying hair wearing a dark brown suit. Seven didn't recognize him at all.

'We _have_ been looking. We've scoured everywhere except Zones Six and Twelve.'

'Why not six and twelve?' the man demanded, 'I want her found, Nadine. She's too useful to them for us to let her run any longer. Wake up every single exterminator if you have to, but I want her back here!'

Nadine, a short Asian woman with black shoulder-length hair and always wearing a neat suit, stood up.

'Do you remember what happened the last time we sent a single one of them into killjoy territory?' she asked, 'He was sent back to us in pieces.'

'That's because he ran afoul of the wrong people,' the man stated, 'Nadine, I can't expect you to understand, because you don't have a child. But I do, and she is out there, running with killjoys and spilling every last secret we have. The evidence is clear, from that group that got through and took the boy from us. She's been leaking information—'

'Seven,' Nadine smiled thinly as she seemed to realise he was standing at the door. The man turned around and stared gruffly at him.

'Another one?' he asked Nadine, who nodded, moving around the desk. Seven was a little taller than her, but it wasn't as large a height difference as he and Agethy.

'This is Seven,' Nadine stated, 'He's been covering the city, mostly the bars on the edges where killjoys go.'

The man looked at Seven, surveying him carefully. Seven adopted his attentive stance; legs at shoulder width, hands clasped behind back.

'Looks like a kid,' the man stated. Nadine looked at Seven.

'He was quite young when we took him in,' she explained, 'Compared to many of the others, he still is quite young. The only person younger than him in this building is Ciera Agethy.'

'The child genius,'

Nadine nodded, then turned to Seven, 'Anything to report?'

'Apparently Fabled Myth received information before I was able to reach him, and escaped from House of Wolves,' he lied, keeping his face expressionless. Nadine arched an eyebrow, glancing at the man.

'How do you know he escaped?' the man asked. Seven turned to him respectfully.

'The bartender told me that he had just left.'

'You have a rapport with the bartender?' the man asked. Seven inclined his head.

'I do not cause trouble in his bar, even when there have been killjoys found there,' he stated. This was the truth, though, 'I ensure that the peace of his bar is not disturbed; he gives me information and co-operates in return.'

'Seven is quite good with interacting,' Nadine stated, 'Many of the inner-city bars are avoided by rebels and killjoys due to their allegiance now.'

'Good,' the man nodded, 'Keep them out of the centre, that's a good way to manage the people. Only a matter of time before the others are all allied with us, isn't it, Seven?'

'Indeed, sir,' Seven nodded. Something told him that this man was important, which meant that Seven had to respond to him as he did with any superior.

'Perhaps we could send him out to look for Brittany,' the man muttered, mostly to himself. He turned to Nadine, 'Has he ever done a desert assignment?'

Nadine shook her head, 'We've tried to restrict the number doing desert assignments,' she stated, 'Too many have come back injured, and some haven't come back at all.'

The man nodded reluctantly, then stepped forward and clapped Seven on the shoulder, 'Nadine, I'm requesting that you send this fine young fellow out to find my girl. Pronto.'

Nadine nodded. 'Of course, sir. He will be briefed.'

The man nodded, clapped Seven on the shoulder again, and then left. Nadine turned to Seven, smiling thinly again.

'You'll cover Zone Twelve,' she stated, turning and taking a photo off the desk, 'You'll be looking for Brittany Clemens.'

He recognized her, despite the change in the colour of her hair. It had once been a light brown, but time spent out in the sun had obviously bleached it blonde. Her bright blue eyes looked up at him from the photo.

'You'll know her as soon as you see her,' Nadine nodded, 'We want her brought back in, alive. And a quiet word of advice,' Nadine settled herself back in her chair, 'Stick to the roads. There's a rogue group of bandits, different to the killjoys. They would not hesitate to kill you if they found you.'

'I could kill them first,' Seven stated. Nadine shook her head.

'Remember the old Nine?' she asked. Nine had been a large man who was fast to draw his two pistols and even faster to shoot. He had been capable of taking on ten men alone, and walking away alive in a wake of bodies.

'Of course,' Seven nodded.

'He ran into the Folsom Gang. He was sent back to us in pieces.'

* * *

'Are you kidding me?' Myth asked as they tore along the road. He and BB could see the roadblock set up a few hundred yards away, and BB recognized the cars and motorcycles easily.

'Jake,' she stated, slowing down. Myth stared at her.

'You're seriously gonna stop for them?'

'It's not like we've got anything they don't already have,' BB pointed out, 'None of them want the Trans Am, they've already got all the guns they need, and the only other thing in this car is an old map of the city and zones. They know we don't have anything, we know we don't have anything.'

'And you're happy for a repeat of last time?' Myth asked. He saw BB's hands clench on the steering wheel, her knuckles whitening.

'The only one who would try for a repeat is Jake or Lewis,' she stated, 'And they both know that I've been training since then.'

Myth stared at her carefully. BB often threw herself into trouble, and most of the time, she managed to get out of it. The only time he had ever seen her really, truly helpless, was the last time they'd encountered Jake Folsom and his gang. BB had bounced back, in the way she managed to bounce back from just about anything, but there had always been that dark shadow in her eyes ever since. What he found hardest to believe was that she'd seemed to have forgiven Jake for it.

'_Ancient history,'_ she had stated, by way of explanation. Myth had realized that, until she made that deathbed confession, that was all the explaining he was going to get about her and Jake Folsom.

BB leaned back in her seat casually as two younger guys carrying old shotguns approached either side of the car.

'What's going on here, boys? You're blocking the road,' BB stated. One of the boys leered at her.

'Didn't think you'd roll right up,' he stated, 'Not after our last meeting,'

'Can't resist trouble, Dean,' BB smirked, 'You of all people should know that. Or hasn't Jake been talking to you? Is that why you're out here on road duty instead of drinking it up with the man himself?'

Dean's fist moved fast, but BB moved faster, ducking down before he had a chance to smash the butt of the shotgun into her chin.

'Watch what you fuckin' say, sweetheart,' he snarled, 'We eat exterminators for breakfast. Imagine what we do to smart-ass killjoys.'

'Been there, done that,' BB gestured, 'D'you mind letting us through? I wouldn't mind a word with Jake.'

Dean scowled, then gestured at the two guys that sat in the trucks. They reversed out of the way, and BB rolled between them both.

'You could at least _try_ not to aggravate the ferals,' Myth muttered. BB shrugged.

'We all go to hell,' she stated. It was one of her favourite things to say, it seemed, because it justified just about every dangerous or life-threatening thing she did.

They stopped alongside a black Chevrolet Impala, where two guys were leaning on the boot of the car. They looked up as BB killed the engine and climbed out, and the shorter one's face broke into a smile.

'If it ain't little miss BB,' he stated, stepping forwards to pull her into a tight embrace. BB patted him on the back before pulling away, 'What are you doing out here?'

'This is my zone,' BB replied, 'You remember Fabled Myth, I'm guessing?'

'Yeah, from the last time,' Jake Folsom nodded, stepping forward and shaking Myth's hand. The two eyed each other off evenly as BB noticed the handshake was more of a contest as to who was stronger. She smirked as Myth caved first.

'Still up to your old tricks?' Jake asked, throwing an arm over BB's shoulders as he steered her towards the car. BB smirked.

'I ain't your girl, Jake. Get your arm the fuck off me.'

Jake chuckled. 'Still foul-mouthed as ever,' he grinned, letting his arm drop to his side, 'I hear you pair almost had a run-in with The Kid last night, too.'

'He was in the same bar as us,' Myth stated, watching Jake carefully. Jake nodded.

'Yeah, one of my mates was there. Said you two stared each other off until the barman broke it up. How come you didn't kill the bastard?'

Myth frowned. 'I wasn't thinking straight, I guess,' he stated, 'Plus, I think the better question is why he didn't go for me,'

'Yeah, there's that as well,' Jake nodded, then gestured to the red-haired guy leaning on the edge of the boot, 'Myth, have you met my man, Lewis? He's from Australia as well.'

Lewis stared unimpressed at Myth, before he looked to BB, 'You could do so much better than this faggot.'

'I could have done so much better than Jake, too,' BB replied quickly, 'But there's not much choice out here, is there?'

'How can you do better than Jakey?' Lewis smirked, 'Look at the guy – you fuck him and no one fucks with you.'

'I've already fucked him,' BB replied quickly, 'But people still try to fuck with me.'

'You loose little slut,' Lewis grinned.

'Didn't have much of a choice the last time, did I?' BB retorted. Lewis' face turned a faint pink colour and he looked away mumbling.

Jake grabbed BB's hand, turning to her. 'About last time,' he began, but BB raised a hand.

'You've already said this. I've already said it. Everything's been said, now can we just forget it?'

'No,' Jake pursed his lips, 'I _am_ sorry. I've never lost them like that. They all paid for it, though. You've got immunity here now,'

'Didn't stop Dean from trying to bash my head in,'

'Dean's a prick, and the next chance I get, I'm leaving him behind,' Jake managed a weak smile at her. BB felt her knees going weak, the way they always did when he smiled at her like that. It wasn't hard for him to make her go weak, though. He had short, spiked hair that was that sort of no-colour that people called brown, and he had light grey eyes. BB hated to admit it, but she had a soft spot for light grey, bright blue, or grass green eyes.

'Found your brother yet?' Jake asked suddenly. BB shook her head.

'You need to get with the times,' she told him, 'I've been calling him dead since before the last time.'

'Don't be so sure,' Jake chided, 'My little girl's been rescued from them. 'Course, she's gone to her mother in DC, but at least things there aren't as bad as Battery.'

'Yeah, true that,' BB nodded, 'What kind of info have you got?'

'About LIE?'

'No, idiot, the postie,' BB shook her head. 'Of course I'm asking about LIE. Who else would I be asking about?'

'I heard those four guys from Zone Six got in and out alive,' he stated, 'Only just, though. They got that kid of theirs out as well.'

'Who's chasing them now?' BB asked. Jake thought carefully.

'Probably One or Two,' he shrugged, 'They wouldn't have called out anyone lesser than those two. This is a group of four guys, all quick on the draw and cruising around together. There's no way they'd send out someone like The Kid or even The Gunman.'

'Yeah, I guess,' BB shivered, 'One's the only one that I would actually run from, wouldn't face down. He's just…'

'Too good?'

'Too terrifying,' BB stated, 'And he's not even one of the modified ones. He's just naturally that evil.'

Jake nodded, grimacing. 'Well, we're looking for somewhere to camp out tonight. Casey reckons there's rain coming, so we're looking for somewhere with actual cover.'

'Hollow Canyon would be your best bet,' BB replied, 'There's a lot of overhangs, and it's dangerous, but if you stick close to the edge, you'll be fine.'

Jake nodded, 'Thanks, we'll check it out. South of the roadhouse, right?'

'Yeah,' BB nodded, 'Don't bring the whole lot by the roadhouse, though; Rain's actually got some legit customers today.'

'I'll bear that in mind,' Jake nodded, 'Are you going now?'

'Gotta keep running,' BB smirked, 'Take care,'

'Always do,' he grinned as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders in an intimate embrace. BB let him hold her for a few moments, breathing in the scent of his leather jacket and the sweat that went with everything out here in the desert. He was about ten years older than her, and so much had happened…

'I should go,' BB stated, pushing him away gently. She managed a small smile at him.

'Look after yourself,' he smiled sadly as he followed her to the car, 'If you hear anything we could use, you'll let us know, right?'

'Probably not,' BB smirked. Jake shut her door for her, chuckling.

'See you round.'

Myth glared at BB until they had rolled past the roadblock. 'You'll have to tell me, eventually,' he stated. BB smirked again.

'Deathbed confession,' she stated, accelerating.

* * *

Seven stared at Agethy as she rolled up his sleeve, a needle held in one hand.

'This is a bit of a booster,' she stated, 'Nothing harmful to your body, just like the caffeine tablet earlier. Except this'll be released slower, so it should keep you going for a couple of days.'

'Thank you,' Seven stated, gesturing with his free arm, 'For doing this. I understand it could cause complications for you.'

'I might be young, but I'm their best, apparently,' Agethy smiled at him as she pushed the needle into his arm, 'They wouldn't top me off unless I left. And I doubt that'll happen anytime soon.'

'Have you ever considered leaving?' Seven asked. Agethy shook her head.

'They protect me, keep me fed, watered, clothed and sheltered. I'll admit that I don't like what they use my work for, but it's better than being on the run.'

'If you ever did leave, would you become a killjoy?'

Agethy tilted her head as she wiped the point of entry with a small swab, and then fixed a tissue over it. 'Are you trying to find trouble where none exists, Mr. Seven?' she teased.

'It was just a question,' Seven replied, 'I don't understand—'

'I'm teasing,' Agethy stated, 'You're being quite curious now, aren't you? Asking me all about my life and future.' She sighed, leaning on the bench, 'I don't know if I would. Their lives are so dangerous and troublesome. I honestly don't know if I'd be happy to lead that kind of life on the run.'

'But if you left, you'd be on the run anyway,' Seven pointed out. She smiled at him.

'I suppose you're right about that. Maybe I would,' she chuckled, 'Just like little Brittany. You'll be careful with her, won't you? She's really quite young and brittle, despite the front she puts on.'

'Is she a killjoy?' Seven asked.

'We think so. There's been information telling us she's in contact with Fabled Myth and his friend, the one they all call BB. And she goes from Six to Twelve all the time, too. But she's not the ones you want to be worrying about. It's the bandits you need to be wary of. Don't try to take them on, even if you're surrounded by draculoids. Far too dangerous.'

Seven nodded. 'I will try to be careful.'

'Just make sure you come back in one piece,' Agethy stated.

'I will… for you,'

* * *

They had assigned one draculoid to travel with him, obviously a young one, to judge by his height.

'Where are we going?' he asked, 'They didn't tell me.'

'Zone 12,' Seven stated, sliding into the drivers' seat, 'Killjoy territory. We are doing a search-and-return. They briefed you?'

'Just enough to send me off,' the draculoid stated. Seven thought dully, as they pulled out of the car park, that there was a real person under that mask. A real person, like Agethy, like Nadine. Like himself…

No, that wasn't right. He was different to Agethy and Nadine, and not because he was male. They were human, whereas he was… something different. He was an exterminator, different to killjoys and draculoids and professors and handlers. That would never change.

The draculoid stayed silent as they sped out into the desert in the afternoon sunlight. Seven pulled his shades on, staring at the road straight ahead.

They passed a sign that had been graffitied, reading WELCOME TO THE DANGER: ZONE 12, and Seven was unable to repress a shiver. It wasn't cold, but he knew the name of the cold knot that had begun twisting in his stomach. He was afraid, for some reason. Afraid of going into the desert.

'_Remember me…'_

Would she ever stop? Seven gripped the wheel in frustration as the words whirled around and around in his head, whispered in her voice, said to him every time he caught her.

And yet she wouldn't die. He had killed her at least eight times, yet she never stayed dead. He had even accompanied her body to the morgue the last time; but she would always come back to life, and creep out somehow.

He didn't even need to see the pictures to remember her face; something in him knew it from before. The first time he had seen her, he had known her somehow. He hadn't known she was one of them, or her name or anything. He had just felt like he had met her before, although that was impossible. He hadn't met anyone before that first time.

Dark brown hair that fell between her shoulders, straight. It was slightly wild, and a little dry from all her time in the desert. There was a horizontal light brown streak through it, too, as though she had dyed it. Her eyes were a deep sea green, but he had seen them change to a hazel colour. They seemed to be tinged with blue, as well, and while they didn't look it, they never missed anything. Her skin had once been fair and freckled, but time in the sun had tanned it a light brown colour. And the way she looked at him, as though she was sad about him, for some reason. The way she looked at him, every time she was cornered and knew it.

Every single time.

'_Remember me…'_

Seven shook his head and snapped out of the thoughts in time to see a roadhouse. The draculoid, who seemed to have been daydreaming as well, turned to him as he slowed down.

'Are we going to ask around?' he asked. Seven glanced at him before eyeing the black Chevrolet Impala parked next to the only other car, aside from theirs.

'It would be beneficial,' he stated, 'Do you see any markings on that car?'

'What, the Impala? Nah, but I heard Vegas doesn't mark their cars at all.'

Seven pulled up alongside the Impala and switched the car off, climbing out.

Inside the roadhouse, Rain looked up. It hadn't been a nice surprise when Jake Folsom had shown up with Lewis and his other wingman, Casey. Jake seemed like a half-decent guy, but he couldn't control his friends very well.

He was serving a young couple heading back to Battery when he saw The Kid enter. His stomach clenched as they stopped inside, looking around, and he sensed trouble as soon as Jake's friends straightened up, looking at the exterminator and the draculoid. He'd been working bars for years, and had a penchant for telling when there would be trouble. And he knew Jake's friends were trouble.

'It was a lovely meal,' the woman stated, 'Thank you for everything.'

'Top up before you go,' Rain stated, not taking his eyes off Lewis, 'On the house,'

'Oh, we couldn't do that,' the man stated. He fished an extra twenty out of his wallet and sat it on the table. He was sitting facing the door, and could tell that Rain was expecting trouble, 'Thanks,' he stated. Rain nodded as the couple got up and left. He waited until they had left the building before moving.

'We're not having any trouble,' he told Lewis, Casey and The Kid. He hadn't met him in person, but the young exterminator looked like everything that Fox, BB and Myth had described him to be.

'Yeah, boys, we're going,' Jake stated, sensing that if they stayed much longer, Lewis and Casey would do something that would result in a gunfight.

The Kid smiled politely as he stepped sideways, blocking the door. Despite looking so young, he was around the same height as BB, maybe a little taller. 'I would like to ask you all a few questions, before you leave.'

'What kind of questions?' Rain asked, approaching. The draculoid seemed tense behind his mask, and Rain saw the man grip his gun tighter.

'I am searching for someone,' The Kid stated, fishing a small photograph out of his pocket, 'We believe she may be in these parts.'

Recognition flashed across Jake's face as he saw the photo, but he knew better than to give up a killjoy. 'Never seen her, buddy. What about you, barman?'

The Kid turned and held the photo out for Rain to see, and Rain had to try to hide his emotions. The photo was of Fox.

'Seen her around,' Rain stated, 'She comes by for a drink now and then. Never looking for anything other than a drink. Nice girl, keeps to herself. Couldn't tell you where she lives, though. Don't know, myself,'

'Do you think she would drop by this afternoon or evening, perhaps?' The Kid asked. Rain shrugged.

'Can't predict or make any promises, kid.'

'Thank you,' The Kid nodded, smiling politely as he turned back to Jake, 'You may leave.'

'Who's the picture of?' Lewis asked, stepping forward. The Kid held out the photo and Lewis snatched it from his hand. 'Dude, that's Fox!' he exclaimed. The response was instant.

The Kid moved forward, taking the picture from Lewis as the draculoid aimed his gun carefully. 'How do you know her?' The Kid asked. Lewis glanced at Jake and then at Rain, then shrugged.

'She's on the roads around here. I know where she likes to hang out, we can take you if you want.'

'Where?'

'Sands Canyon,' Casey smirked. He glanced at Lewis, then back to The Kid, 'We're heading that way, if you want us to lead you. It's too far off the roads for you to go without a guide.'

Rain knew what they were doing. He knew for a fact that Fox didn't live or hang out anywhere near Sands Canyon, which was south. She lived a little north, in an old church. They were leading him in the opposite direction.

'Take the guide offer,' Rain stated, 'Those tracks are hell, especially the canyons. Only locals know them enough to be safe.'

The Kid nodded, turning to Jake and his friends. Rain could tell something was wrong from the look on Jake's face, though. It looked like he had something sinister planned.


End file.
